Lithuanian court rules Gražulis’ pledge to give voters part of his salary violates election law

A Lithuanian administrative court has upheld a decision that Petras Gražulis, a candidate for the European Parliament, violated the country’s election code by promising voters 50% of his future MEP salary, LRT reports.

The Regional Administrative Court ruled on June 1 that Gražulis’ campaign pledges—made during debates in Vilnius, on his Facebook page, and in a political advertisement in the newspaper Plungė—breached the prohibition on vote-buying under Lithuania’s Election Code.

The Central Electoral Commission (VRK) had previously determined in August 2024 that Gražulis’ promise could influence voter decisions, constituting a violation of the ban on inducing voters with financial incentives. The court confirmed this interpretation, clarifying that the law prohibits not only direct or indirect vote purchases but also post-election compensation offers aimed at swaying voter choice.

While the court partially accepted Gražulis’ argument that the VRK’s ruling contained an inaccurate formulation—specifically, the claim that he had pledged funds only to voters who supported him—it stressed that this error did not alter the legal qualification of his actions. The pledge itself remained in violation of Article 101(1) of the Election Code, which forbids any form of voter inducement.

The court’s decision affirms that Gražulis’ campaign statements contradicted election laws, regardless of the precise wording used in his promises.